1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radiation image capturing system and radiation image capturing method for controlling a plurality of image capturing apparatus of different specifications with a processor that is selected according to image capturing instruction information to capture radiation images, an apparatus and method for supplying image capturing instruction information to a selected processor, and a program executed in a supply apparatus for supplying image capturing instruction information.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the medical field, there have widely been used radiation image capturing apparatus, which apply radiation to a subject and guide the radiation that has passed through the subject to a radiation conversion panel, which captures a radiation image from the radiation.
One known type of radiation conversion panel is a stimulable phosphor panel, which stores radiation energy representative of a radiation image in a phosphor. When the stimulable phosphor panel is irradiated with stimulating light, the phosphor emits stimulated light representative of the stored radiation image. The stimulable phosphor panel with the radiation image recorded therein is supplied to a reading apparatus, which reads the stored radiation image as a visible radiation image.
In sites where medical procedures are performed, such as operating rooms or the like, it is necessary to read recorded radiation image information immediately from a radiation conversion panel, for the purpose of quickly and appropriately treating the patient. As a radiation conversion panel which meets such a requirement, there has been developed a radiation conversion panel having a solid-state detector therein for converting radiation directly into electric signals, or for converting radiation into visible light with a scintillator, and then converting such visible light into electric signals in order to read the detected radiation image.
There are available in the art various types of image capturing apparatus having different specifications for capturing radiation images using radiation conversion panels, depending on the conditions of patients as subjects to be imaged, and image capturing conditions including regions of the body to be imaged. Such different image capturing apparatus are controlled by respective processors having specifications that correspond to the specifications of the image capturing apparatus. According to a known radiographic system, various image capturing apparatus and processors are connected to a radiology information system (RIS) by an in-house system. Image capturing instruction information representative of image capturing conditions set by the RIS, which include patient information, image capturing methods, body regions to be imaged, radiation dosage levels, etc., is supplied to the processors, which then control corresponding image capturing apparatus in order to capture radiation images (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-247137).
When a doctor sets image capturing instruction information using the RIS, the doctor sets image capturing instruction information for each image capturing apparatus to be used. If the doctor captures radiation images using a different image capturing apparatus, then since the doctor needs to set image capturing instruction information for each of the image capturing apparatus, the doctor often finds it tedious and time-consuming to set such image capturing instruction information. Furthermore, if an image capturing apparatus designated by the doctor fails to operate, or is undergoing preparations and is not ready for use, then the radiological technician on site needs to change the image capturing apparatus, i.e., change the image capturing instruction information on site.
If image capturing instruction information is supplied from the RIS to a predetermined processor, then while the predetermined processor is currently dealing with an image capturing apparatus or processing radiation image information acquired from an image capturing apparatus, the predetermined processor is unable to handle the image capturing instruction information, until the process currently being performed thereby is terminated.
Some general network systems are configured to distribute loads among a plurality of processors connected to the network. For example, the printing system disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-341910 comprises a host apparatus having a distributed printing function and a plurality of image forming apparatus, wherein the host apparatus and the image forming apparatus are connected to a network. If one of the image forming apparatus is incapable of printing images, then the host apparatus transfers print data to another image forming apparatus, which is capable of printing images.
However, the printing system disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-341910 is not premised on use of a plurality of image forming apparatus having different specifications, each of which are connected to the network. Rather, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-341910 merely discloses that, if a selected one of the image forming apparatus of similar specifications is incapable of printing images, then another one of the image forming apparatus may be selected to print images.